Imogene + Willie became a DT staff favorite in a very short time. The Nashville-based brand won us over with their rustic Americana-esque sportswear and inspiring background story. We even spotted one of our favorite bands wearing the brand during a secret acoustic gallery performance! Recently we had a chance to chat with Carrie Eddmenson, one half of Imogene + Willie, about what got the brand started and what direction they’re headed in. Check it out below.

Denim Therapy: Lets start from the beginning. What inspired you to get this brand off the ground?

Imogene + Willie: It came less from an inspiration and more from a need for a job. We were approaching winding down our family’s business, a company that developed and produced jeans for 26 years. All we knew how to do was make blue jeans. Our hands have always been blue. We dreamed up various business plans – a restaurant or a food truck, among other things. We just wanted to do something where we could offer hospitality. But we would get half way through the development of a non-denim concept and then come right back to what we know and love: making pants.

DT: How do you differentiate your self from the hundreds of popular denim brands afloat right now?

I+W: We are very dedicated to knowing our customer. We have held off on wholesaling to other retailers for two and a half years in order to have the opportunity to connect with the consumers we already have. We needed to know them. We needed to know exactly how they felt about our product. The relationship between the consumer, our team and the two of us is the pinnacle of our business.

The first 10,000 people around the world wearing their Imogene + Willie jeans have made the company what it is today. Those folks validate the brand. It is theirs, as well as ours. Now we’re finally ready to give it to retailers who we believe in and who will love the product and love on the customers for us. Imogene + Willie jeans will be available in stores for holiday 2011 is some markets and then into wider distribution for spring 2012.

DT: Do you have any pre-designing rituals?

I+W: No sketching. We tell Nestor, our pattern maker, exactly what we want. He can read our minds. The ritual, I guess, is sitting by Nestor’s sewing machine, waiting impatiently to try whatever it is he’s making on. Matt is always the first fit model for men; I try on the women’s prototypes.

DT: Describe the woman who represents your ideal target customer.

I+W: That, interestingly, is evolving and changing right now. In the beginning, our “ideal” woman was one that believed in and supported our commitment to making our product in America. That’s still valid, but we find that now that same woman is obsessed with the fit, as is her significant other who sees her wearing our jeans.

This isn’t a mom jean: it works on 18 year olds and 75 year olds alike, which is something that makes us really happy.

DT: What would be your dream collaboration?

I+W: Our dream collaboration would be to partner with an American company that has a big interest in bringing jobs back to this country.

DT: What are the most popular washes/fits in the line? What are your favorites, and how would you style them?

I+W: We have five fits for women and two for men. The best sellers for women are Imogene Stretch; it gives the illusion of an extra few inches of height! However, Alice, our newest women’s jean with a mid-rise and a slight boot cut, is quickly catching up. For men, it’s the Barton Rigid, a moderate slim-straight with a lower rise.

Matt’s favorite jeans is the Willie, a straight-leg, mid-rise jean that is our inaugural fit for men. My favorite is the Imogene, a straight-leg, mid-rise jean that’s our inaugural fit for women.

Matt and I both dress very simply. The shirt I wear almost every day is a vintage Wrangler shirt that my brother got for me ten years ago that I had Nestor rework to fit me. I will layer it up with some special turquoise pieces, which I think are just the most beautiful artistic expression of Native Americans. Matt wears a white T-shirt every day in the summer, and he puts a couple of layers on top of that same ol’ rag when it’s chilly.

DT: Do you have any favorite/least favorite denim trends right now?

I+W: We really struggle with trends. To be honest with you, we’re not really into fashion.

DT: Street style and style blogs ar e huge in the industry right now as a sour ce of inspir ation, influencing the high-end labels rather than vice versa. How much does street style influence your designing?

I+W: We should start paying more attention! The best part about setting up shop in Nashville is that we don’t really watch what’s going on in the larger world of “fashion.” We keep our heads down and just work on what we’re doing here.

DT: How many pair s of jeans do you own?

I+W: Matt has three: Willie, Willie and Willie! He has one pair of Willie’s for each year we have been in business. He got rid of everything else: he just sold his last 501 xx.

And me? Well, one pair of Imogene Rigid – the first one ever made; one pair of Imogene Indigo Stretch; one pair of Imogene Black Stretch; one super-high-rise black jeans in a style that has yet to be named (it’s the proto; I have it on now); one pair of Wranglers from the ‘60s; twenty pairs of Levis ranging in age from the late ‘40s to the late ‘70s.

If you recall, we’re obsessed with 80%20 shoes. We ran into designer Ce Ce Chin at Coterie last September and got a sneak peek at their newest super-cute kicks. After going on something of a splurge for our shoe collections (hey, we gotta do something to ease the summer-to-fall transition), we had the chance to ask Ce Ce a few questions about her line, her denim preferences, and the future of 80%20! Check it out below.

Denim Therapy: What style/cut of jeans do you envision being worn with the fall collection?

Ce Ce Chin: Skinny jeans and colored denim looks great with our Bex shoe, which is kinda like an Orvis meets Chanel quilted Look (see above). Also, all of our short boots will look great with denim cut off shorts, tights and colorful or knee high patterned socks.

DT: What are YOUR favorite pair of jeans?

CCC: Siwy denim fits me great—great flattering feminine cut—brings out the curves in me! And I have an amazing Denim skirt from Junya Watanabe, like Spring 2002 or something, that is practically couture.

DT: We love that! Do you have any favorite/least favorite denim trends right now?

CCC: I love the high-waisted MILF 70s style denim- when the pant legs are really long and I wear my KIP platforms, I look really tall.

DT: What would be your dream collaboration?

CCC: There two artists that I really admire: the filmmaker Miranda July and the “knitting bandit” Olek. Miranda created a very touching shoe scene in her first film, “Me and You and Everyone We Know“. I admire her personal style and quirky sensitivity—I’m definitely thinking about her work and her most recent movie, “The Future” as I move forward with Fall ’12. And Olek, well, she does these crazy crochet pattern sculptures. Could be cool for some Winter boots!

DT: Street style and style blogs are huge in the industry right now as a source of inspiration, influencing the high-end labels rather than vice versa. How much does street style influence your designing?

CCC: Oh street style is, and has always been very important to me. While I will watch the runway reports, I gather most of my inspiration by witnessing the girls on the subway, or at places where creative people gather, like art openings or performances. Recently I’ve been scoping out the footwear at my yoga studio. There’s a place in front of the yoga class where everyone kicks off their shoes. I see quite an interesting mix in this shoe pile!

DT: Clever! Can you give us hint about what’s next for 80%20?

CCC: We’re planning a pop up store in March 2012 for the Spring ’12 collection. Scouting locations now….

When Denim Therapy was hanging out at the NYLON Guys’ VIP shopping event at Bloomingdales last week, we had the chance to chat up Kevin Harter, Vice President of men’s fashion direction, after he had a go at the old fashioned carnival games and was cheered by his enthused employees. We’ve gotta say, he’s a charmer! Here’s what he had to say about what’s happening in denim now.

Kevin Harter: Hello Denim Therapy!

Denim Therapy: Hello! We want to know what you’re excited about this season in denim.

KH: That denim is back, actually. We’re seeing guys get back into jeans and become denim snobs again, which is nice.

DT: We totally agree.

KH: Yeah, and we’re seeing different personalities emerge in denim—all we saw for a while were skinny jeans and now we’re seeing the straight leg and the boot cut come back, we’re seeing colored denim come back… and one thing I think is really exciting is that we’re seeing more corduroy…

DT: Yes! We love cords. What are some recent consumer trends you’re seeing right now?

KH: Definitely colored denim and corduroy.

DT: Awesome. So, what are you going to be for Halloween?

KH: An auto-mechanic! I wear a suit all the time, so it’s nice to get out of it.

Designer Julien Jarmoune of Black Orchid Denim has wow’d us in the past with designs celebrities and street style bloggers alike are obsessed with, and the latest collection, which we got to check out at Coterie, is nothing short of rock star-worthy. From studded side seams to the classic dark-and-sexy range of washes, we had to know what the designer’s latest thoughts were while whipping up this must-have uniform for girls with equal parts style and attitude. So, we asked him (and we also found out he only owns one brand of men’s jeans)!

Denim Therapy: Tell us a little about the spring 2012 collection. We noticed an emphasis on studs, zippers, and hardware (and we love it).

Julien Jarmoune: Yes, a selection of our spring styles feature studs and hardware which is geared towards high end image boutiques and our more rocker clientele. However, the core focus of our Spring 2012 line is colors. In 15 color washes ranging from pastels to brights and neons, we offer a wide selection of styles including skinnies, flares, skinny micro flare, mini shorts, mini skirts, pleated trousers and pleated trouser shorts. We also offer all 14 styles in white. In addition to introducing new colors we’re also going back to our heavier sanded and torn washes.

DT: How do you differentiate yourself from the hundreds of popular denim brands afloat right now?

JJ: Black Orchid is the only premium denim collection on the market that combines amazing fits and designs with a huge press and celebrity following all at a great price point.

DT: Do you have any pre-designing rituals?

JJ: When I am about to design my next collection, I usually get “stuck” and can’t come up with any ideas for almost a month and start loosing sleep over it. And then for an inexplicable reason I wake up one morning with the entire collection completely done in my head. Everything becomes apparent to me and I end up designing a collection of 60 styles within the next 2 weeks. Always a stressful but such an exciting moment!

DT: Describe the woman who represents your ideal target customer.

JJ: My ideal customer is a fashion trendsetter. She is sexy and confident and looks great in her jeans whether paired with a nice bag and a pair of Louboutins or a casual tee and flats.

DT: What would be your dream collaboration? Any plans of that in the future?

JJ: I don’t have any plans at the moment but would love to collaborate someday with brands such as Alexander Wang, Balmain or Thomas Wylde.

DT: Do you have any favorite/least favorite denim trends right now?

JJ: My favorite denim trend is a classic skinny jean because I think it looks great on any body. I’m more resistant to the bell bottom trend, as it’s more difficult to pull this off.

DT: Street style and style blogs are huge in the industry right now as a source of inspiration, influencing the high-end labels rather than vice versa. How much does street style influence your designing?

JJ: Believe it or not I never look at any of those websites for inspiration. I always design what I like and what I would like my BlackOrchid customer to wear.

DT: How many pairs of jeans do you own?

JJ: About 10 or 12, all from Dior Homme.

DT: Can you give us hint about what’s next?

JJ: Colors, colors, colors.

Check out some shots we took at the Coterie spring 2012 preview below.

If you are looking to find, create, and discovering your own style then we’ve got a killer option for you with the very distinctive jeans from Kill City. We had the opportunity to discuss styles that reflect great color, wash, fit, and function that just about anyone can relate to in our exclusive interview with Head DesignerPaul Roughley. If you’re looking for a good read this afternoon, this is it. Check out the fall 2011 lookbook and read on to learn more about Kill City behind-the-scenes.

Denim Therapy: Lets start from the beginning. How did you know you wanted to be a designer?

Kill City: I was always interested in art & design as a kid, I didn’t have much concentration for subjects like English and Math and through my schooling and further education only excelled at anything involving pencils and paint brushes. After school I moved onto art college and through astute tutoring and my interest in music and fashion my teacher suggested I study for a BA in Fashion where the graduate opportunities are more frequent for employment than Textile Design which was originally my chosen field of study.

I helped to launch Kill City in January of 06 after 9 years of employment in the Fashion Forecasting Industry and design positions in New York and Los Angeles. In 05 premium blue denim had definitely peaked, I strongly believed that there was room for a brand at a sub $100 price point and a customer that lives and breaths music, art and fashion that has a distaste for the idiocy and ugliness of hyped, over branded and embellished clothing.

DT: Are there other denim brands you consider your immediate competition? How do you differentiate yourself from the hundreds of popular denim brands afloat right now?.

KC: Not really, there are common brands that share our customer wardrobe like Cheap Monday, RVCA, Obey and Insight but they are heavily marketed brands chasing a very specific customer.

Our products are about color, wash, fit and function that anyone can appreciate, we’re not dictating or implying that you have to ride a skateboard, hang out at galleries and wear a specific cap and sneakers to represent our brand. Artists, musicians, misfits and weirdo’s come in all varieties and as an eclectic mix of consumers is welcome and inspiring.

DT: Do you have any pre-designing rituals?

KC: What do we hate, what are we tired of seeing and what can we not find. This applies to fit, color, fabric and wash and we build upon our core skinny jeans.

DT: Describe the person who represents your ideal target customer—the customer you have in mind when you’re planning a collection.

DT: What would be your dream collaboration? Any plans of that in the future?

KC: “Hmmmmmm”……I’m not so inspired by working with another brand that also has a strong identity, I’d be happy to use a template with the consent of companies like Vans, Levis or Nike for jeans and shoes. Maybe a store collabo with Top Man UK or Beams Japan would make me smile or the opportunity to design jeans for a designer like Gareth Pugh would be epic!

DT: What are the most popular washes/fits in the line? What are your favorites, and how would you style them?.

KC: Our skinnie’s are most popular by far, the Junkie fit which is our skinniest (13″ leg opening) followed by our Wire which is also slim (14 1/2″ leg opening). As far as washes over dyed black, black wax,and our printed stretch twill styles always sell well. Personally my styling advice is to always make sure that your silhouette always leans towards being proportionally looser/heavier on top.

There’s nothing worse than seeing a guy in loose jeans and a tight tee shirt. I’m fairly simplistic in throwing an outfit together, slim jeans paired with a well fitting short sleeved crew or v-neck tee and a short jacket works every time. It’s hard to educate people on color, to be safe black works every time.

DT: Do you have any favorite/least favorite denim trends right now?

KC: The list could be long and bitter but I’ll keep it short.

Light wash jeans in loose fits and functional jeans with military styling in loose fits ( A prevalent trend in Europe). Most denim travesty’s are really consumer driven versus trend driven and the root cause is people not understanding what fit and wash/color is suitable to their body type.

DT: Street style and style blogs are huge in the industry right now as a source of inspiration, influencing the high end labels rather than vice versa. How much does street style influence your designing?

KC: Always, I very rarely observe runway collections, they have no bearing aesthetically or monetarily on my lifestyle or the consumer I design for. Street style is organic, you can be inspired by a guys styling on one blog and turned off on an item that is overly represented across all blogs.

DT: How many pairs of denim do YOU own?

KC: 50 to 75 any time though I only wear three, APC New Cure, Kill City Wire vintage blue with black spray and Kill City Wire in black wax coat. All of the other jeans I archive for future use and I always buy jeans at flea markets like The Rose bowl for wash and construction reference.

DT: Favorite celeb wearing your brand?

KC: Pass…. I dislike celebrity endorsements, Christian Audigier was the king of celebrity bull shit, Los Angeles based designers are doing a fantastic job right now and Christian almost single handedly fucked it up for everyone who’s based here trying to design with ethics, passion, quality and good taste.

I receive images often of well known people wearing our stuff but we rarely utilize it, our point of view is to use non celebrities in creative fields to represent our brand. We made Shaun White some American Flag jeans to wear at The Winter Olympics, he gets a pass from us because he’s a cool guy, down to earth and a bit mad.

Earnest Sewn recently announced the return of their original designer, Benjamin Talley Smith. Denim Therapy caught up with Mr. Smith to get the scoop on what we can expect from him, now that he’s returned from a sabbatical of sorts, spending the last few years consulting for denim brands like Rag & Bone, Evisu, Helmut Lang and 3×1. His first full collection as Creative Director is expected to debut in Fall 2012.

Denim Therapy:How would you compare your perspective as a designer for Earnest Sewn now, the second time around?

Benjamin Talley Smith: I feel more evolved. Earnest Sewn has always been about beautiful jeans and I don’t plan on changing that. I have evolved as a designer… I feel more educated, more innovative and I have a slightly more modern point of view. I plan on bringing that to Earnest Sewn.

DT: How does your experience with the other brands you’ve worked with in the past reflect in your thought process today?

BTS: Each brand that I’ve work for since 2009 has taught me something uniquely different. Rag &Bone taught me about building a line and developing subtle yet relevant washes. Evisu taught me about designing for multiple markets around the world as well as developing a brand globally. Helmut Lang taught me about innovative styling and mixing of fabrics and washes. And 3×1 reminded me how to make the best quality jean possible and what Earnest Sewn has always stood for.

DT: When you think of Earnest Sewn, do you personify the brand in any way (and who would that be?), or do you think more of an idea of what the brand should be?

BTS: I represent a small part of the brand since I was born in Vermont and grew up in the country, but Earnest Sewn is about so much more. The Earnest Sewn image is about a guy that understands and believes in quality product whether it is a jean or watch or pair of shoes. Earnest Sewn is about a lifestyle more than a specific jean. The Earnest Sewn girl is a bit more fashion forward and aspirational. I have the most fun trying to figure out what that means and how to achieve it. Creating a girl’s jean that is effortlessly cool is what Earnest Sewn women’s line is about.

DT: How do you differentiate yourself from the hundreds of popular denim brands afloat right now?

BTS: Integrity of product quality and innovation in silhouette and wash. Sewn was built on amazing washes and I will continue to push the envelope in development and innovation.

DT: Do you have any pre-designing rituals?

BTS: I don’t really have any rituals. I’m usually designing multiple seasons at the same time so there’s really no beginning or end. Most of the real design work takes place at the laundry so that’s usually where I find the most inspiration. Sketching and ideas come everywhere and since I live in NY but work in LA I spend a lot of time on planes and in airports. A great many ideas are drawn on napkins or sketchbooks on the road. Inspiration usually comes from being out in the city or at concerts and watching people on the street.

DT: What would be your dream collaboration? Any plans of that in the future?

BTS: A think the partnership between high fashion lines and denim has been great recently. That is what we are looking into. I’m also a big fan of Parisian fashion so I might do something in that line but I don’t want to give anything away. I’m also very interested in collaborating on non-denim and non-clothing related items. Earnest Sewn is about a lifestyle brand so the concept of bags, shoes or furniture are not out of the picture. I think each collaboration is about bringing two innovative companies together. We are experts in denim so that’s what we bring and it would be great to get the same kind of expertise in another field in collaboration with us.

DT: What are the most popular washes/fits in the line? What are your favorites, and how would you style them?

BTS: Currently I’ve developed something called “Lightening” for the SP12 women’s line that I love and has gotten a good response. Given that I’ve only been on board for 3 weeks I’ve only been able to design a little but this is my favorite so far. It’s an over-dye program in multiple colors that looks like a lightening storm on a coated color. It’s a pretty fashion forward skinny and needs to be worn with heels. It’s a real downtown-girl jean, very rock n roll inspired.

DT: Do you have any favorite/least favorite denim trends right now?

BTS: I love coating and color so right now is a good time for me. I’ve always like process and treatment so I’m in a place that is familiar to me. I’m not really all that into prints and patterns on denim but I know that’s happening, I’m just looking for new ways to do it.

DT: Street style and style blogs are huge in the industry right now as a source of inspiration, influencing the high-end labels rather than vice versa. How much does street style influence your designing

BTS: All day everyday! I get most of my inspiration from photos of how people wear their jeans, either on the internet or on the street or at concerts. Blogs have changed the way I design and see trends and how quickly things can evolve in the market. I also think that it has made trends much more global.

DT: How many pairs of jeans do you own?

BTS: Not as many as you might think. Like most people, I usually wear the same jeans until I come up with something new that I absolutely have to have, but in my archive in Brooklyn, probably around 250. I’ve always ended up with the amazing first developments that for one reason or another didn’t make it into the line. Those are my prize jeans, the true one-of-a-kinds.

DT: How do you store/keep your jeans at home? (e.g. hanging a specific way, folded in a closet?)

BTS: Back when Earnest Sewn started we shipped every jean in an ornate slide out cardboard box. This became incredibly expensive and the stores were not using them so we’ve had an excess of these great boxes for years. I store most in these boxes or rolled in old vintage ammo boxes.

DT: What are you excited about in your next collection? Can you give us hint about what’s next?

BTS: I’m excited for the continuation and evolution of the Sateen denim group we are showing for Spring 2012. But really there’s a ton of work to be done and I won’t be happy until we are done! You’ll just have to wait and see!

Reco jeans is taking the reigns as the ultimate in eco-friendly denim, and the more they grow, the more their passion for environmentally conscious product comes to the surface. We spoke to art director Nathan this past spring, where he introduced us to the concept of the brand and showed us first-hand some of the awesome products they produce. Since that informative encounter we had a chance to question the head designer Melissa Santos, and delve a little deeper into the mission of reco jeans.

Denim Therapy: Lets start from the beginning. What inspired you to get this brand off the ground?

reco jeans: This brand was inspired by the childhood of the two cousins (the owners of reco jeans). They grew up with the denim factory and would witness all the scraps left behind that would eventually end up in a landfill. As they got older they came up with the brilliant idea to keep all the denim scraps and have it all broken down and spun into a new yarn; a recycled yarn. This yarn would then be used to weave the new fabric, which is then used for reco jeans.

DT: How do you differentiate yourself from the hundreds of popular denim brands afloat right now?

RJ: We differentiate ourselves by being the only brand to use TRUE recycled denim.

DT: Do you have any pre-designing rituals?

RJ: Before I jump in and start designing, I usually do some shopping and research first. I even ask my friends, fans, and followers what type of things they would like to see on their denim.

DT: Describe the woman who represents your ideal target customer.

RJ: This young lady is very well into fashion. She gets our jeans because she loves the way they fit, and she loves the style. She may not know too much about the environment or of being eco-conscious, but once she finds out she is actually making a difference by wearing reco jeans, she feels great about herself and wants to continue the trend by finding more eco friendly goods.

DT: What would be your dream collaboration?

RJ: To collaborate with Lady Gaga would be a dream. She would definitely add a twist to the denim market, while unveiling things we’ve never seen done in denim before.

DT: What are the most popular washes/fits in the line? What are your favorites, and how would you style them?

RJ: I am really loving our darkest blue/black wash, but I am also a fan of our bleached wash. Right now our mid rise skinny is fitting beautifully like a glove. It lifts what should be lifted and flattens what shouldn’t be bulging! This Fall I plan on wearing boxy graphic tees with my mid rise skinny jeans, and knee length grey/brown flat boots. I may even top off my look with a bowler hat.

DT: Do you have any favorite/least favorite denim trends right now?

RJ: I am not too fond of the white denim trend, but thats only because i’m such a klutz and i always end up spilling or dropping something on my brand new white jeans. However, I have seen white denim styled great on a few people.

DT: Street style and style blogs are huge in the industry right now as a source of inspiration, influencing the high-end labels rather than vice versa. How much does street style influence your designing?

RJ: Honestly I am more inspired by street style. Sometimes I even skip the internet and magazine research and I just go straight to designing based on things i’ve seen on people out here in the city. Even all the fashion forcasting sites are showing more street fashion from the different cities around the world. How many pairs of jeans do you own? Haha too many to even keep track of!

DT: Can you give us hint about what’s next?

RJ: We’re collaborating with some interesting designers/ labels. You can expect some punk/ rock n roll styles, but also some feminine fun looks in the near future.

Denim Therapy had the opportunity to revisit the world of Resin Denim’s creative director Chantel Valentene and ask her a few more Q’s we’ve been tossing around our heads since we recently hung out with them at Brooklyn Flea for some denim & lemonade (were you there too? So much fun!). Before that we were amped about the incredible denim collaboration between Resin Denim and Made her Think… seems like this brand has us on our toes non-stop!Read on to meet Chantel, see just how easy it is to adore her, and get the scoop on those amazing mustard and red jeans that are going to be your go-to fall denim…

Denim Therapy: Lets start from the beginning. How did you know you wanted to be a designer?

Resin: I was in love with fashion and the glamour of clothing from really young. There is a picture of my Mom draped in turquoise fabric that she made into a dress for the Ms. Barbados pageant that I can always remember being captivated by. She wore heels to work everyday, was always dressed up, and loved clothing. My fascination with how fashion can transform people started with her. When I discovered through a family friend who went to FIT that making clothing was an actual job, I became obsessed with the idea. That was around 6th grade.

DT: Are there other denim brands you consider your immediate competition? How do you differentiate yourself from the hundreds of popular denim brands afloat right now?

Resin: Our mind-set isn’t confined to just the box of “denim brand”. We are looking at the present but thinking about the future.The goal as we move forward is to make the “voice” of Resin clear among the crowd of brands. We do it through our washing, aesthetic and presentation to our customers.

DT: Do you have any pre-designing rituals?

Resin: Play air guitar to Black Sabbath, do the running man to Bel Biv Dovoe or practice the Uh-Oh dance to Beyonce. No real rituals, but you never know what’s going to happen when folks are feeling creative.

DT: Describe the person who represents your ideal target customer—the customer you have in mind when you’re planning a collection.

Resin: The Resin customer doesn’t hide behind their clothing, they live in it. The kind of people I’m inspired by when walking down the street, are the ones I would want to stop and get to know. We really try not to limit the ideal to one type of person, because even in a singular person there are many facets and reasons behind who they are and what they wear. It’s a confidence I’m drawn to that our customer has, not one type of look.

DT: Can you give us hint about what’s next?

Resin: For this coming Fall/Winter we have a great selection of fresh clean whites, new fabrics and finishes that we are all excited about.

DT: What would be your dream collaboration? Any plans of that in the future?

Resin: We do collaborations about every other season, so we’ve worked with amazing artists and designers like Meredith Khan from Made Her Think, Ibrahom Ahmed III and Dan Funderburgh. As far as dream collaboration I would have to say Azzedine Alaia or Rick Owens. Those are big “Oprah” sized dreams.

DT: What are the most popular washes/fits in the line? What are your favorites, and how would you style them?

Resin: Our Phoenix Red wash in our Lariat ankle skinny, and Jameson short are popular. People love the different option on how to wear color. My personal favorites are the Resin x Made Her Think Jameson shorts with gold brass discs on the side seam. I’ve been wearing them with a basic tee and simple sneakers. I’m also in love with our Resin x Made Her Think Lanphear vest with a brass spine. Wear it over a simple maxi dress, throw on some heels and I’m good to go.

DT: Do you have any favorite/least favorite denim trends right now?

Resin: Denim is a staple, not really in love with one particular trend. I love seeing people re-mix a classic.

DT: Street style and style blogs are huge in the industry right now as a source of inspiration, influencing the high end labels rather than vice versa. How much does street style influence your designing?

Resin: Street style influence has always been there because it’s the actual customers wearing the clothing in their everyday lives. It’s immensely important to understand how your customer lives in your clothing.

DT: How many pairs of denim do YOU own?

Resin: Couldn’t say exactly, but definitely too many. My little sister is drooling for the bags of clothing and jeans from my spring-cleaning.

DT: Resin- what does it stand for? And why did you choose that as the name of your brand?

Resin: Resin represented the future of denim. As a process and chemical it propelled the industry into a new era, we loved what that symbolized and chose the name with that in mind.

DT: Favorite celeb wearing your denim?

Resin: My favorite is when I see women walking down the street wearing Resin. That’s priceless.

Last Thursday, Denim Therapy had the pleasure of meeting and interviewing G-Star‘s women’s designer Rebekka Bach. She has been with G-Star for over six years now, hailing from Amsterdam, which is also where the brand is headquartered. We wanted to find out what was the goal behind the new collaboration with Los Angeles’ Kitson boutique. Even though G-Star Raw already has a wide cult following, this denim brand has only just recently opened up shops on the West Coast as part of the brand’s efforts for global expansion.

Denim Therapy: Why did you decide to collaborate with Kitson?Rebekka Bach: G-Star is about authenticity and craftsmanship, but we are also about contradiction. We don’t like to think of ourselves as just one thing. We’re always trying to change things. Kitson is known for being the place for celebrities to shop and since our brand is popular amongst celebrities, we felt there was a good match there.

DT: Are you currently working with special denim or hybrids?RB: We have a denim which has a special coating that we’re working with.

DT: What should we anticipate for 2012? RB: We are going to be heading towards vintage finishes and details. We really want to capture the essence of the women who would wear our jeans, such as the L.A. woman.

DT: Will there be new styles or silhouettes next season?
RB: Actually, most of our styles (such as the Elwood) have been around for many years. We only modify and evolve around the fit.

The G-Star x Kitson capsule collection will include six women’s pieces, all featuring special artwork made specifically for this collection: G-Star’s popular Arc Super Skinny, a denim vest, denim shorts, sweat pants, a knit t-shirt and canvas tote bag. Can’t get enough of G-Star? Go to G-Star online for more raw and unfiltered denim action.

Searching for the perfect t-shirt to rock your fall denim with? We’ve got the answer! And it’s designer Aimee David, better known as the Queen of E.vil(don’t worry, it sounds way more goth than it is). Be sure that once you don one of her semi-sparkling, pop-color, audacious tops and pair them with your jeans, from acid wash to dark wash, you’ll be fashion royalty yourself. Witty, inspiring, exciting… we love this line! And we got the behind-the-scenes scoop for you in this Q&A…

Denim Therapy: Let’s start from the beginning. How did you know you wanted to be a designer?

Queen of E.vil: I always liked to standout- in high school I was voted most original- I loved concepts and graphics and color combinations.

DT: Do you have any pre-designing rituals?

QoE: Just to live my life authentically; To let life give me sound inspiration.

DT: Describe the person that represents your ideal target customer.

QoE: Someone who has a voice- or wants to connect with new and interesting people through fashion statements.

DT: Do you have any favorite/least favorite denim trends right now?

QoE: I thought I would like the jeggings from Hue- but I was dissapointed with the fit. I like J Brand.

DT: Any favorite denim brands? Or denim stores?

QoE: Jbrand. I used to wear Paige denim but after two kids loosing and gaining weight… I just stick to one brand-no time to mix it up.

DT: How do you style your denim and tees? And where would you be going in them?